Apologies to everyone for the lack of a true photographic record of the event, which was due to a flat battery and Hash Flash's failure to carry a spare!
However, the above collage records the Hashers who attended the run.
THE “UPHILL” BERTON HASH
Run Number: 361
Date: Mon 12 Jun 06
Time: 60 minutes (ish)
Distance: 4.75 km (ish)
Run Location: Ibberton
The Pub: The Fox
Pub Website: www.foxatansty.co.uk
Weather: Cloudy
HARE(S):- Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones
- Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle
HOUNDS:
Rear Row:- Edward (The Wanderer) Vincent
- Mark (Jibber) Humphries
- Mark (Shady) Vincent & Brûlée
- Jason (Kinky Bugger) Wareham
- Terry (Walt) Disney
- Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones
- Martin (Madness) Lawson
- Andy (Warthog) Goodman
Front Row:- Tim (Silent Running) Bryning and Monty (Alamein)
- J-F (Entente) Lechanoine
- Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine
Not In Photograph:- Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle
Social Hounds/Hash Puppies:Real Hounds:
THE WORDS
Once again, an impressive pack of 10 hounds turned up to meet BrEW and Ronlet at the Crown Inn at Ibberton on this quite windy but nice June evening and very promising if you’ve got the mad idea of driving down to the village from Ibberton Hill!
We were expecting to see our two new feminine* recruits, so BrEW said that the run had been laid for them: almost 3 miles something and a couple of inches. His briefing was in precise terms: 4 smiley faces, 3 whip-ins, 15 checks, more than the pack could cope with, with a special “Ladies’ one” for our new hounds. At this time, Ça Va looked up and understood that she would have to do the business herself. Then we were made aware that a couple of fields should have some friendly, silly, and even scary animals. Watch this space! Never mind, Warthog was ready to face the bulls with his beautiful red vest. The last precise advice was that the blobs were randomly laid left, right, middle, sometimes middle, right, left….Finally, with a “Three blobs and you are On!... That way”, Ronlet unleashed the pack, eager to swallow the hill.
[* Fortunately they are both female ~ ’On Words]
Led by Jibber, Silent Running and Alamein, Shady, The Wanderer and Brûlée, the pack headed straight away uphill. The first check saw Shady unfortunately choose the “nettle” track, while Jibber was lucky to carry on his route in the right direction until he had a face-to-face debate with the first smiley. Silent Running, lying in wait, took the lead then. The relief that we were heading downhill (passed a couple of docile looking horses) was short-lived. One check later and we were heading uphill again!!
As the pack was continuing its ascent (towards what, God only knows), the running pace was suddenly reduced to a walking pace. Even our fellow real hounds were struggling a bit. Then, after the second smiley, the pack arrived at THE special “L” check where Ça Va gallantly moved to the front to check it out. But she picked the wrong track, and a couple of other hounds guided the pack in the right direction, and guess what?.....Always uphill!!
A very sensible whip-in along the road at almost the top of the hill allowed the pack to get together and try regaining consciousness, breath and enjoying the stunning view over the Blackmore Vale. Following the common rule of a whip-in, Warthog was lucky to check the right way on the road and always uphill. At the next check it was announced that the scary bit was on the way. For that reason, Ronlet took the lead and went off for a scout around. But no bulls at all over there. Everybody was really disappointed to miss Warthog fighting the monsters. Anyway, another check focused the pack on their “Mon-daily” business. Jibber and Entente decided to check the path straight ahead, following Ronlet’s cunning tracks in the grass, while Silent Running, Shady and The Wanderer were heading right to a false trail. Madness, not really inspired by this idea, checked downhill. “Someone has to do it!!” But he asked permission to walk that track at snail’s pace. Finally, after some hesitations generated by these cunning tracks in the grass, Jibber and Entente found the way. At last, we were definitely at the top of the hill!!!
A couple of checks and a smiley face later, the pack assembled at a paragliding takeoff point. Good idea to be back quicker to the Pub! But instead, it was another peaceful and restful moment to admire the view before speeding off downhill with Warthog and Entente heading back to the village. At the next check, Entente took the lead. He definitely wanted to be the one who found the last smiley. So he did. Back to the previous blob, and the pack went down a very sloping field where everybody was praying that their brakes would work before crashing into the fence. Walt and Kinky Bugger’s legs were like jelly. It was the Light Cavalry’s charge! Boosted by Alamein, Silent Running was doing a remake of “Wages of Fear”, apart from the fact that he was not paid to run this evening!
The pack then arrived at Ibberton’s cricket pitch. While the oldies were running, the youngsters were leisurely playing cricket. Anyway, never mind, Hash rules are more understandable than cricket ones, on my word as a French Gentleman! From that last check Silent Running and Entente guided the pack back home. A redeeming stream allowed Alamein to cool off just before going back to the car, to the great displeasure of Silent Running who saw the entire pack rushing along at full speed to the Pub. By the way, who said: “First will be last”?
The whole pack congratulated the Hares for another athletic and scenic Hash. As the Crown was closed on Monday, we headed to The Fox at Ansty for drinks and food. There, half a dozen starving Hashers placed an order, three for Moules Marinières, one for Crayfish and Prawns salad, two chose a Burger or Ham, Eggs and chips. On Pres, supported by Madness, commonly acknowledged that a good Ham Eggs and chips means a good Pub. It must be a valuable British benchmark. Sacrebleu!
MUG & T-SHIRT RATINGS
(??*) - Denotes attendance by those not Mug Rated (social hounds).
GOLD T-SHIRT AWARD (50 AND OVER)
Andy (Warthog) Goodman (169); Bronwen (Ronlet) Jones (122); Terry (Buggalugs) Canham (108); Brian (BrEW) Errington-Weddle (92); Ed (Birdseye) Sadd (86); Terry (Walt) Disney (76); Tim (Classic) King (69); Mark (Jibber) Humphries (60); Tim (Silent Running) Bryning (60); Duncan (Day Glo) Ray (50 + 1*)
MUG AWARD AND CAN WEAR BLUE T-SHIRT (25 - 49)
J-F (Entente) Lechanoine (48); John (Semaphore) Carr (42); Frances (Stop Watch) Canham (34*); Ruth (Typhoon) Canham (34*); Sylvie (Ça Va) Lechanoine (33); Jason (Kinky Bugger) Wareham (31); Helen (Elle) Goodman (26*); Nik (Vesper) Beecher (25+ TBC). Jim (Forget Me Not) Forrest (25 + 6*)
NEED MORE HASHES OR POSTING ORDER (10 - 24)
Martin (Madness) Lawson (24); Steve (Bob the Builder) Pritchard (20); Nick (Tri Harder) Bateson (20); Gordon (F Med) Rafferty (18); Tom (Two Shoes) Gillard (15); John (Strider) Bryning (16); Ian (Abdul) Condie (11 + 1*); Lesley (Tinkerbell) Bryning (11*).
NEED MORE HASHES (5 - 9)
Rowland (Pet Rescue) Stibbards (9); Gail Sadd (8 + 5*); J-C (Moose Milk) Boisvert (7 + 1*); Sarah Bryning (1+6*); Ben Sadd (6); John Harry (Hot Dog) Ross (5); Emma Sadd (5); John (Nokia) Noraika (5); Nick (The Gnome) Laffan (5); Jayne (Blackberry) Boisvert (5*).
KEEP HASHING (1 - 4)
Clare Sadd (4); Edward (The Wanderer) Vincent (4); Mark (Shady) Vincent (4); Heather Terrington (2 + 1*); Ombeline Lechanoine (3*); Rod (Dyno) Thomas (2); Martin Hughes (1); Colin (tbc) McGrory (1); Julie Carr (1); James Carr (1); William Carr (1); Debbie (1); James Vincent (1); Mel (1); Kate Forrest (1*); Robert Carr (1*); Sandie Disney (1*).
PUB DETAILS
The Fox at Ansty, is a popular and well maintained village pub.
Full details, including menus, beers, prices, and B&B information, are given on the very comprehensive website at http://www.foxatansty.co.uk/index.htm
Price: Ronlet & BrEW # 361 |
